(Polk County Sheriff's Office) Repeatedly, Sheriff Judd said that Wednesday's news conference was not the . Stay up-to-date with the latest news, stories and headlines in Lakeland, FL from Lakeland Ledger. Click Here for ADA Accessible Format Polk County Sheriff's Phone# 863-298-6200 There is going to be whats called a Stop the Violence rally in Lakeland on March 18. 39-year old Timothy Finley of Mulberry began communicating online with an undercover detective, thinking he was chatting with a 13-year old female. Drake Sawyer Perry with Sheriff Grady Judd and family. People choose for us to chase them. 1,852 talking about this. An undercover surveillance mission outside Winter Haven involving officers from multiple departments led to a car chase, carjacking, and an officer-involved shooting Monday afternoon, the Polk County Sheriff's Office said. All rights reserved. Information has been forwarded to the Prosecuting Attorney for further consideration. Polk County Sheriffs Phone# 863-298-6200. This information is made available to the public and law enforcement in the interest of public safety. At a news conference at the Polk County Sheriff's Office, Sheriff Grady Judd said Bryan Riley, 33, from Brandon, had no apparent connection to the victims. The car leaped about five feet in the air and got stuck on top of a snow bank before being stopped by a stump that was sticking out of the snow. Members of the anti-trafficking organizations were on hand to speak with the prostitutes to help determine if they were human trafficking victimsthey were offered services and counselling. Judd said the man, who they identified as Alex Greene, 21, eventually jumped into a white Chevrolet Silverado and drove off. Polk County Detention Center Jail Population: 27 Incarcerated Inmates with 20 Inmates currently on the Waiting List for a State Facility. On Thursday, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd held a news conference regarding the massacre of four people in Lakeland that occurred over the weekend."We have a family going through something right . Copyright 2023 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Grady said the car was later found on Avenue G on the other side of Winter Haven, but it was lit on fire. The Polk County Sheriff's Office is investigating a domestic-related homicide in southeast Winter Haven. PCSO's full-time Public Information Officers areBrian Bruchey, Carrie Horstman, and Alicia Manautou. Among the 108 arrests made, there were several which stood out. Judd said Gabriel Batista, 41, had separated from his wife and was living at . Grady Judd discusses car chase in Polk County. When a detective tried to cancel the meet-up due to a scheduling conflict, Phillips became angry, and made demands that the undercover detectives would have to give him money for the appointment and for the drugs he was going to sell them. an e-mail collectively at PIOs@polksheriff.org. Advertisement. On January 25, 2023, the Polk County Sheriff's Office arrested 35-year-old Joshua Diaz of Kissimmee . Polk County Sheriffs Office worked 2 vehicle accidents this week. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Polk County officials said Drake Sawyer Perry died in the vehicle crash Wednesday while on State Road 33, south of Groveland in Lake County. Detectives also identified and investigated adults who engaged in on-line sexually charged communications with those they believed were childrenfour men were arrested for preying on children online. Ronald Donovan, 38, is now charged with second degree felony . Your email address will not be published. Deputies responded to a residence on Polk 184 near Acorn in reference to threats being made. "You can't police a community if you don't hold yourself to a higher standard than you expect from the people of the community," Sheriff Grady Judd said. News releases and Crime Stoppers information can be found on this page. We dont know at this point if its retaliation for reporting the burglary and the theft of the firearms on Sunday and thats why this occurred.. Michael Thompson, 41 of Hatfield was arrested on four Felony Failure to Appear Warrants, a Body Attachment and to be held for another agency. Deputies responded to a walk-in complainant in reference to theft of property. In total, 293 stories have been published about Polk County, Florida which Ground News has aggregated in the past 3 months. During a news conference, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said the investigation spanned between three places including Eagle Lake and Winter Haven, ending on Havendale Boulevard which was. 1:36 WINTER HAVEN - Polk County Grady Judd spoke at length Friday afternoon about Patrol Sgt. We dont choose to chase. On top of the shootout involving those two cars, Sheriff Grady said his agencys aviation unit found a third car slinking around in the area. The sheriffs office said the 20-year-old was dead from being shot eight times. 108 people were arrested by the Polk County Sheriffs Office Vice Unit during a six-day undercover human trafficking operation, "Operation March Sadness 2," which began on Tuesday, March 8, 2022. 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Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd speaks about the 4 killings in Lakeland It was 4:22 a.m. Sunday. The arrests of a human trafficker and four child predators alone makes this whole operation worthwhile. Polk County Sheriffs Phone# 863-298-6200. Updated: 8:29 AM EST March 2, 2023. Both were arrested for soliciting for a prostitute. Polk County Sheriffs Phone# 863-298-6200. Ron DeSantis of Florida at a news conference on Monday. Perry was described as being the most proficient shooter in his class. He had to make his rap videos. Deputies say around . According to Taylor, the full extent of Greene's involvement is still unknown, but evidence led them to the 21-year-old. Oh by the way, what are you doing allowing two 17-year-old kids out with a 26-year-old and a 20-year-old? he said. The Public Information Officers can be reached by sending Read More Jan 23, 2023 Polk Teacher arrested for. Just before noon on Sept. 28, 2006, Polk County Deputy Doug Speirs pulled over a speeding rental car bearing Kentucky tags in Lakeland, Florida. David Hale, 35 of Mena was arrested by an officer with Probation Parole to be held. Other rap songs on Chandlers social media pages include lyrics about always being armed and photos of himself holding firearms. He was a natural-born leader, and aspired to be on the SWAT team. . READ: Overwhelmed Polk County bus aide arrested on child abuse charges, deputies say, "We are all grieving at the loss of this young deputy who was just starting out in his career," Sheriff Grady Judd said in a statement. During a seven-day undercover human trafficking operation, Operation Traffic Stop, which began on PCSO Operation busts Frostproof sales clerk who sold alcohol to a 17-year old, An update to Sheriff Grady Judd's briefing in Winter Haven on Monday, February 6, 2023. Hes been in the Polk County Jail since that arrest, being held on no bond. Other notables Bryan Riley, Polk County Shooting Suspect: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know. Some are exit holes from the vehicle so the suspects were shooting back and forth at each other.. The recent news releases sent out by the PIOs can be found here, and archived releases (older than 2017) can be found here. Polk County Sheriff's Office via AP. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. Human Trafficking Suspect: You dont get to not stop for the police. Ethan Naht February 14, 2023 2 min read. Anniversaries / Engagements / Weddings / Births, Murder mystery dinner and fundraiser successful. Detectives also located a rap video on Chandlers social media pages where he talks about shooting someone in the back details that had not been publicly released. When Nash arrived at the location to check on the victim, she was taken into custody and charged with: Human Trafficking (F1), Deriving Proceeds from Prostitution (F2), Possession of Cocaine (F3), Possession of Methamphetamine (F3), and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (M1). Polk County Sheriff's Log Ethan Naht February 28, 2023 2 min read February 20, 2023 Deputies were dispatched to a residence on Polk 54 near Mena in reference to a physical domestic disturbance. Breaking News. Judd said Heartland Crime Stoppers is offering a $5,000 reward to recover the gun used in the murder. Polk County Sheriffs Office worked 1 vehicle accident this week.Polk County Detention Center Jail Population: 27 Incarcerated Inmates with 20 Inmates currently on the Waiting List for a State Facility. Associated Press; Published Oct. 4, 2022 | Updated Oct. 4, 2022. . When deputies arrived they found a man fatally shot in the yard and two others suffering from gunshot wounds. Judd said theres no evidence to believe the community is in any danger following the shooting. Peach would have been fired had he not resigned. Judd said Greene had a lengthy record of felonies and had multiple warrants out for his arrest before Monday. The purpose of this page is to share breaking news and alerts for accidents, fires, crimes, weather, public interest stories (locally,. News Releases and Public Information Welcome to the Polk County Sheriff's Office News Room, where the Public Information Officers (PIO's) post all of the information that they release to the news media. The Polk County Sheriff's Office said Chandler was arrested on February 22nd in a separate incident. Two businesses also suffered damage, including the Hamilton Company, the business where the chase ended after Greene crashed. News releases and Crime Stoppers information can be found on this page. CNN A former Marine outfitted in body armor fatally shot four people, including a baby, mother and grandmother, at a property outside Lakeland, Florida, early Sunday morning in what the local. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Polk County Detention Center Jail Population: 22 Incarcerated Inmates with 15 Inmates currently on the Waiting List for a State Facility. He will be greatly missed. He was arrested and charged with: Travel to Meet a Minor/Using Computer to Lure (F2), Attempted Lewd Battery (F3), Transmit Material Harmful to Minor (F3), Possession of Methamphetamine (F3), Resisting (M1), and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (M1). Breaking News. PIO's act as liaisons between news media organizations and the Sheriff's Office. Deputies responded to a residence on Polk 627 near Mena in reference to a stolen firearm. Officials said the Florida Highway Patrol is investigating the crash. Steve Hedrick, 55 of Wickes was arrested by an officer with the Grannis Police Department on a Body Attachment Warrant. The oldest person arrested was 67-year old Derek Collins who showed up to the residence drinking Ensure, the youngest was a 17-year old male. In a news release, the sheriff's office said multiple. He sent this out for other kids to see," said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd. The sheriff's office said he lived in Ocoee and graduated from Olympia High School in Orlando. On Monday, deputies arrested his friend in the Haines City area and charged him with home invasion burglary, resisting arrest, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of ammunition by a convicted felon. - A chase across Polk County came to an end Thursday morning with a PIT maneuver by Florida Highway Patrol troopers. Sean Speakman's shooting of 24-year-old Jessiram Hweih Rivera, who Speakman said - and witnesses. Winter Haven police chased the car and two people jumped out, but the driver sped off. We dont choose to shoot. Local News Publishers 100% of the sources lean Left PIO's act as liaisons between news media organizations and the Sheriff's Office. PIO's act as liaisons between news media organizations and the Sheriff's Office. Get it out of the attic, out from under the tree, said Judd. Welcome to the Polk County Sheriff's Office News Room, where the Public Information Officers (PIO's) post all of the information that they release to the news media. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright Ouachita Broadcasting, Inc. | All rights reserved. POLK CITY, Fla. - A 21-year-old deputy was fatally struck by a bullet fired by fellow deputies while serving a felony warrant early Tuesday, according to the Polk County sheriff. He was assigned to the South County Jail in Frostproof. A handgun was recovered and those two people are in custody. 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Greene was taken to Winter Haven Hospital, where he died. Gavin Whitmire, 31 of Grannis was arrested by an officer with Probation Parole on Felony Warrants for Residential Burglary, Harassment, Endangering the Welfare of a Minor and Probation Violation. The driver is still at large, according to Crescenzi. Nash would take all money derived from the victims prostitution. LAKELAND, Fla. A 19-year-old Polk County man faces a charge of first-degree murder for allegedly shooting and killing a man in December 2022. For days, officers had been searching for the four gunmen who opened fire on a crowd of people sitting and standing along N. Iowa Ave. Man calls 911, confesses to killing Polk County family member, sheriff says. The PIO'sroutinely release timely and accurate information and Crime Stoppers bulletins, and respond to routine and "breaking news" media inquiries. Lakeland Police Chief Sammy Taylor said officers were monitoring the 21-year-old because they believe he had something to do with the drive-by shooting in Lakeland last Monday that injured 11 people. The man who lives there told deputies his friend beat him and stole his two firearms and television on Sunday, Judd said. Welcome to the Polk County Sheriff's Office News Room, where the Public Information Officers (PIO's) post all of the information that they release to the news media. Despite the chase, both Taylor and Judd believe Harper, the Lakeland officer who initiated the chase and shot Greene, did what he had to do. While investigating the December 2022 shooting, detectives developed probable cause to charge Chandler with murder in the first victims death. Michael Thomas, 36 of Mena was arrested on a Felony Warrant for Possession of a Schedule VI Controlled Substance with Purpose to Deliver. NewsBreak provides latest and breaking Lake Wales, FL local news, weather forecast, crime and safety reports, traffic updates, event notices, sports, entertainment, local life and other items of interest in the community and nearby towns. Had he simply not run from us not fled then none of this would have happened," Judd added. POLK COUNTY, Fla. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd discussed more than 100 arrests made during an undercover operation that, in part, focused on human trafficking, according to the agency. The . Deputies were still looking for the vehicle as of Sunday morning. The suspects in shootings like this one arent even supposed to have guns. Any unauthorized use of this information is forbidden and subject to criminal prosecution. John McGee, 33, was shot in the back and killed on Pirates Way. Anniversaries / Engagements / Weddings / Births, Murder mystery dinner and fundraiser successful. Governor Sarah . Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way, mass shooting near downtown Lakeland on Jan. 30. Deputies responded to a residence on Polk 44 near Mena in reference to a structure fire. Two victims were shot inside the vehicle and were airlifted to the nearest hospital in critical condition, according to Judd. The victim who belonged to a rival gang of Chandlers succumbed to his injuries on January 9, 2023. Sheriff Grady Judd said two deputies responded to a family disturbance in the Tanglewood Preserve subdivision in Davenport shortly after 10 p.m. Wednesday. Deputies were dispatched to a residence on Dover Street near Hatfield in reference to an altercation. Information has been forwarded to the Prosecuting Attorney for further consideration. Breaking news and top stories from Winter Haven, Florida. Sept. 5 (UPI) -- A . Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd on Wednesday held a news conference to wish a happy New Year to listeners and "a sad New Year for some shooting suspects," referencing two drive-by shootings . Ill pay $5,000 for the murder gun and I dont care who the gangster is holding it or who the mama is holding it. Breaking News. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. But there is a problem with very young gangsters shooting at each other a problem that we aim to solve. Judd said he questions the events leading up to the shooting. PIO's act as liaisons between news media organizations and the Sheriff's Office. All rights reserved. During a press conference on Monday, Polk County Sheriff Judd Grady. Chandler was arrested for the February 22nd aggravated assault incident at an apartment where he lives on Pirates Way, which is near both crime scenes (the fatal shooting, and the aggravated assault). Im not going to be able to go into a lot of detail as to how we got up on him and how we feel like he was involved. The Polk County Sheriff's Office is seeking qualified men and women in Polk County who desire to wor Sheriff Grady Judd gave preliminary information about a multi-jurisdictional investigation that bega Sheriff Grady Judd Polk County Sheriff's Office 1891 Jim Keene BlvdWinter Haven, FL 33880 / Directions863-298-6200 / 1-800-226-0344. an e-mail collectively at PIOs@polksheriff.org. He was charged with Soliciting a Prostitute (M1).